A/N: so now i just decided to call jack's sister emma instead of pippa like i did in all my other fics. the only reason i called her pippa in the first place was because when i first got into this fandom last year, its what literally everyone ive seen called her. then some other people started to call her mary or rosie but i guess the entire fandom just decided to call her emma for some reason. now that the fandom is more developed than it was last year, calling Jack's sister pippa was thrown out and replaced with emma. i dont know why 'emma' in particular but i just know that Pippa is the name of one of jamie's friends (i think its the girl with the red hair?)

so from this point on, any NEW fics i write that involves jack's sister will have her be named Emma.

Chapter One

"Jack, is school fun?"

"Of course not. You're constantly being told what to do and then everything you do is wrong."

"Oh, then why did you keep going?"

"Well, I got to see my friends every day."

"But weren't you sad when they went to college?"

"I was, but I still have you, don't I?"

"Yeah! You'll be happy as long as your amazing sister around!"

"Heh, I guess so."

"Jack, can I as you something else?"

"Sure. Go ahead, Emma."

"What about studying? Is that fun?"

"Nope, there's nothing fun about it. Studying is really boring and takes up too much time."

"You might see it like that, but I can't wait to go to school and study and make friends!"

"I'm sure you can't, little sis." Jack ruffled his sister's chocolate brown hair until she swatted his hand away, annoyed but slightly laughing. "Oh, that reminds me. I brought something for you, Emma."

"Really? What is it?"

"Hold on, let me get it out of my bag first."

Jack's leather satchel was lying next to his seat. He opened it up and pulled out a hardcover book with a swan on the front while a lady was riding on its back. "I got you a book of nursery rhymes and fairytales. I was walking through town and saw it in a bookstore display. I figured it would be something you would like."

"Wow, Jack! Thanks!"

Emma gratefully accepted her gift from her brother. No matter what he brought with him, anything that Jack gave her during his visits made Emma filled with joy. Her favorite types of presents were books. They lasted longer than the candy he'd bring and they wouldn't grow boring like the toys he brought either. Ever since Emma learned how to read she would spend every second of the day with her hazel eyes glued to the pages of a story. She turned the book of nursery rhymes over and over in her hands, studying every detail of its covers. The price tag was still on the back cover and after reading it, Emma turned her head to her brunet brother. "Twenty dollars, Jack? Isn't that kinda expensive for you?"

"No, not really. Ever since I started a second job as a babysitter I've had some extra money. And that book is filled with a bunch of stories, so it's worth its price."

"But is it okay for you to spend so much money on stuff that you buy for me? I don't want you to go through any trouble."

"Emma, I'm eighteen years old and fresh out of high school. I can basically do anything whatever I want."

Jack knew that he was right; he was completely free in life. The only anchor he had was Emma. When Jack was a kid, his father died. He was too young to understand it then, but a few years later his mother passed away after having Emma. It was sad to know that she was gone and that Emma would never know her parents, but Jack knew that he had to take responsibility for his sister.

Ever since she was a baby Emma has been in St. Nicholas' Hospital. It was one of the best hospitals in Burgess, and the only reason Jack could afford to keep Emma there was because their father died serving in the military, letting his family use the benefits he gave them.

Emma has spent her whole life in a hospital. She was very sick as a baby, and is still sick today. For seven years Emma has been stuck in a hospital room with no friends to come visit her. She was never healthy enough to go outside and heer body's condition even prevented her from interacting with any other patients at the hospital. All she could do was simply stay in bed and read until Jack came in for a visit like he always does.

Jack, being her big brother, made sure that Emma was happy. He didn't want her life to be anymore unfair than it already was. There wasn't a single day where he wouldn't walk across town to St. Nicholas' to see Emma, not even when he was busy with school.

Whether it was before school, after school, or even during school; Jack would always find time to barge into Emma's hospital room and make her smile. He even skipped school every year when Emma's birthday was on a weekday so that the two of them could celebrate it all day. However, Jack graduated from high school not too long ago so now he began to work for money.

Living on his own in a small apartment; Jack works two jobs to support not only himself, but Emma as well. If something unfortunate ever happened to Emma, Jack wouldn't have anything left in his life. Any friends he had drove away to college and Jack's family is slowly growing smaller and smaller with each passing year. Emma was basically his entire life in one summary.

After paying for any medical expenses Emma had, his apartment loans, and gifts for his sister; Jack was left with just enough money to eat. If his parents could see the life he was living now, they would without a doubt pity him for taking on so much responsibility. Jack had no help from anyone as he endured through every obstacle life threw at him while also caring for his seven year old sister. Although, the two jobs he worked were harsh to him.

Jack's first job he got after high school was being a waiter at The Den of Nightmares, a dark restaurant owned by a chilling man named Pitch Black. Its location was barely ever touched by the gleeful rays of the sun and the whole atmosphere of it was eerie, making it popular for the people with dark personalities. Every day Jack would see someone dressed like a vampire or a vampire hunter come in. And as if working in a place decorated like a nightmare wasn't enough, Jack had to deal with constant criticism from either his boss or the customers he served. It was hard to ignore the insults people slung at him, but the job provided Jack with a decent amount of money. His second job as a babysitter was much nicer.

Despite only having one family as a client, Jack was hired by the Bennett family enough times to become their official nanny. Every day he would take care of Jamie and Sophie Bennett while their parents were at work. He wasn't as paid as much - unlike his job as a waiter – but Jack had grown attached to the two kids to just leave them.

First, he would walk them to school, walk them home when the school day was done, and then Jack usually watched over them until their mom came home. Sometimes Jamie's friends would come over to play, so Jack was able to entertain them as well.

But as much as he loved to walk them to and from school and make them laugh, it was heartbreaking to see that this was a life Emma could be having.

Jamie and his friends were within Emma's age group. They weren't exactly all seven years old, but they were still in elementary school. While they played in the snow outside and complained about homework, Emma was tapped inside the white walls of her room without having a chance of attending a school. Jack could only be at Jamie's side and watch him live a normal, happy life that Emma could never have.

"Mr. Frost, visiting hours will end soon." A nurse said as she poked her head into the room. "You have about five minutes."

"Alright. Thank you."

Emma watched her big brother stand up from his chair and cling his bag over his shoulder. "Are you leaving now, Jack?"

"I guess I will. Have a good night, okay? And don't stay up too late reading. You know what the doctor said about sleeping."

"It's not my fault! I can't help it! It just takes a long time for me to fall asleep when I'm not even tired so I just read the books that you bring me."

Jack softly looked down at Emma and grinned. "Well, if you like reading so much, then maybe when you're well enough to go to school I can take you to a library too."

"That's a marvelous idea! Can you do that? Please?"

"Of course I can! When you're well enough to leave this place we can go do whatever you want."

"Yay! Thanks, Jack!"

Leaning down to hug his sister, Jack said his goodbyes to Emma and walked out the door. It wasn't until he shut it did he hear her voice again. "Oh, wait! Jack, I forgot to ask you something!"

There was no response from the other side of the door, meaning Jack most likely left already.

"Jack! Come back! Please don't tell me you already left!"

More silence was her answer. Emma continued to call her brother's name and was unaware that he was actually standing outside her door, deceiving her that he had left the hospital.

"Jack! I wanna ask you something and it can't wait until tomorrow! Jack!"

Ready to pop his head in, Jack opened the door by a crack with an amused look on his face. "You don't have to keep yelling, Emma. I've been standing out here the entire time."

"That was a dirty trick, Jack! I thought that you left!"

"Well, if you really want me to leave I can-"

"No, please don't! I have to ask you something first and if I don't get an answer right now it's gonna bother me all night and then I won't get any sleep!"

"Alright, Emma. Jeez, just calm down and ask me whatever it is that you want to know."

"Okay…"

The seven year old child fumbled with her white bed sheets and kept her attention away from Jack's face. She had no reason to be nervous, yet she still was. "Jack...when do you think that I'll get better? I've been here for so long and…I wanna go outside and go to school like you did."

Emma watched as Jack's common smile faded. His head drooped down and he leaned on the frame of the door with his arms crossed. "Uh…I don't know, Emma. Actually, I think you should be able to get out of here pretty soon. As long as you take your medicine and do what the doctors and nurses tell you, you'll feel awesome enough do run out of here in no time."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Then I can't wait!"

"Yeah, just hand in there, little sis."

After shutting the door to Emma's room, Jack walked down the hall with his hands in his pockets while his attention was on the tiled floor. There was nothing that broke his heart more than lying to Emma like that.

/

Almost an entire two weeks had passed since Jack promised that she would get better. He told her that she would be able to live like a normal girl in no time. She could go to school and play with other kids and even feel the sun kiss her face.

And now little Emma Overland Frost knew that Jack lied to her, just like he always does.

"B-But you said that I was going to get better!" she screamed at him, angry tears flowing down her face. "Y-You told me that I-I could go to school in no time!"

"Shhh. I know, Emma, I know."

Jack held his sobbing sister against his chest while her bitter tears stained his jacket. December had just begun, and Emma was just informed about how critical her poor health is. She wasn't supposed to know yet, but she overheard some doctors talking about it outside her room. When she asked Jack if it was true, his hesitation and uneasiness was proof that her worst fears had come true.

"Jack, you stupid liar! Y-You b-big LIAR!"

Emma screamed and whaled and all she wanted to do was push Jack away but she couldn't. If she pushed Jack away, she would lose the only important person in her life. He was the only person in her life, actually. Not that her imbalanced life mattered anyway. All of those times that Jack would tell her that she would become healthy were just empty lies he used to cover up the fact that she never would get better. She could never leave.

"H-How long?"

"What? Emma, I don't understand."

"How long have you been doing this?! Ha-Have you been lying all this t-time? And don't even think about lying to me now!"

"…Emma, I honestly have to say that I was never positive about what I was saying. I-"

"Then why did you say all that stuff when you didn't even know?!"

The blue jacket Jack was wearing was stained with the tears from Emma's painful cries. He knew that she wanted to shriek - that she wanted to never see him again for being so dishonest – but Jack also knew that Emma didn't want him to leave either. Having no other family close to her, Jack was technically her legal guardian since he was the one who took care of her. Aside from doctors and nurses, Emma's only visitor was her older brother who was currently holding her while she cried.

"Emma, Emma you have to listen to me. Look at me, Emma. I need you to stop squirming,"

Jack had to see his sister's face when he talked to her. He had to look her straight in the eye and tell her that things will turn out okay. He needed her to stop burying her face and look at him.

"Emma,"

"No! You lied! That's all you'll ever do! You-"

"Emma, I-"

"No! No no no no no no no no!"

"EMMA, LOOK AT ME!"

Emma stopped shaking her head and finally stared at her brother. She's never heard him yell before; she didn't even know that Jack could raise his voice. "O-Okay…"

Her eyes were red and tired from weeping. Her throat was growing soar from howling in rage at her brother and then sobbing more. Emma was frustrated, and Jack understood that, but he needed her to calm down and listen to what he was about to say.

"Yes, Emma, I lied to you. I wasn't even sure if I was lying or not, but it was for your own good."

"W-What?"

"I gave you hope, didn't I? I gave you something to believe in, something to look forward to when you would wake up. Because if I didn't lie to you, if I told you the truth, then what would you do? You wouldn't have anything to dream about, that's for sure."

Emma was stunned by Jack's words. The tears in her eyes paused while she sat against her brother whose eyes were glazed as well. One stray tear slid down his face, only one.

"Emma, I'm sorry that I wasn't completely honest with you, but I just wanted to make you happy, okay?" Jack closed his eyes and hugged his sister, who began to sniffle. "Because you, Emma, out of all people, don't deserve to be sad. And even if we're not next to each other, even if I'm in my apartment on the other side of town, I will always try my best to cheer you up. And that's the truth."

Drawing out a tissue, Jack let his sister go and wiped her face of the teardrops. "And it's okay for you to scream and cry. In fact, go ahead and do it. Let it all out because once you're done, you'll feel a lot better afterwards. Trust me, I understand."

"U-Understand what?"

Another tear was shed by Jack but instead of frowning, he smiled. Whether he was wearing a mask of happiness or not, Jack was smiling at Emma.

"You feel alone here, don't you? That this world is cruel for giving you a life like this when you didn't do anything to deserve it. You never got to know what wonderful people Mom and Dad were; instead, you were born into a life where you're forever trapped inside the pristine walls of a hospital you call home. But as long as we're together, I don't think either of us are really alone."

Jack gave Emma the tissue to wipe her nose with and he reached into his satchel that he carried with him everywhere. He dug his hand through it until he pulled out his wallet. When he opened it up, he took out a small photo and handed it to Emma. She curiously took it and stared down at what it showed through her innocent eyes. "Jack, is this-"

"That's right, Emma, it's a picture of you and me. One of the nurses took it after you were born, right before Mom passed. I think I was around eleven or twelve when that picture was taken."

A young boy with brunet hair, brown eyes, and flushed skin was holding a pink blanket in his arms. Inside that pink blanket was a baby who Emma assumed was most likely her.

"We're in this together, Emma. It's just you and me against the world. If you feel lonely while being cooped up in here, just know that I'll go beyond my limits to make you smile. I'll even break into your hospital room after visiting hours if I have to."

For the first time today, Emma smiled at Jack. She didn't feel mad at him anymore, she was just glad that he was here. "Thanks, bro."

"Welcome, sis."

Again, Jack hugged Emma as she sat on her hospital bed. He didn't know how long they stayed in that loving position, but he felt Emma's shoulders slump and her arm slouched forward, dropping the photo on the floor. For a split second Jack gasped and let go of her, fearing the worse, but was relieved to hear her slow heartbeat when he put his head to her chest. She was only sleeping.

Jack shut the window curtains to block out any distractions from the outside. The sky was dark, making him realize that night time was rolling around. After tucking Emma in bed, Jack picked up the discarded photo and placed it on the table next to Emma. The table was covered in rows of medicine bottles and pills that Emma had to take daily, meaning that she would see this picture of her and Jack every day when she would take her medicine.

"Goodnight, Emma. Sleep well." he whispered before turning away from his sister. Jack shut off the lights and quietly shut her door, not making a sound. He began to walk down the hospital hallways with a slight hop in his step. After all, Jack was fully content that both of them would be sleeping well tonight.

A/N: i would just like to point out that this is an actual Human AU fic where the characters are actually human (this is not just a dream like in Kill the Lights)

so im not sure about this fic, i might continue it if enough people want me to (aw heck, i might just continue this even if no one reads it) but anyway, this fic will most likely have a few chapters and maybe a max of seven or something. i dunno...